Folding table.



No. 737,455. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

W. J. NOBLE.

FOLDING TABLE. APPLICATION FILED HOVLZB. 1902.

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PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM J. NOBLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 737,455, dated August 25, 1903.

Application filed November 25, 1902- Serial No. 132,772. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, (Elmhurst, borough of Queens,) in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Folding Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a folding table that is to say, a table the leaves or top sections of which may be folded flat against each other, allowing the table when not in use to be stored in very compact form.

The special object of this invention is to provide a folding table, the capacity of which when extended will be relatively great, thus overcoming the previous disadvantage that in order to make the table fold compactly its extended size had to be much restricted. In attaining this end I provide a number, preferably four, leaves or top sections. These are each provided with a folding leg and appurtenant devices for holding the legs in extended positions. The top sections'are hinged in a certain peculiar manner, so that when extended they present an even table-surface and so that they may be folded flat against each other, placing the table in compact form for stowing it away.

This specification is an exact description of one example of my invention, while the claims define the actual scope thereof.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of .reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view showing the legs folded preparatoryto folding the table top sections. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section of the table in assembled position. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the table completely folded. Fig. 5 is a section of the same in folded position, and Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the hinge for connecting two of the sections and the clamping-cleat that works therewith.

a and a indicate the middle sections, and b and b indicate the end sections. The middle sections a and a have cleatscfastened to their adjacent edges, and these cleats carry hinges c, which connect the sections a and a to swing inward against each other. Mounted on one of the cleats c is a pivoted dog or button 0 and this is adapted to be thrown into the transverse position shown in Fig. 2 when the table is extended, which prevents the sections a and a from moving relatively on their hinges. The section b is hinged to the section a through the medium of hinges d, which are so arranged that the section b may be thrown (see Fig. 1) upward over the top of the section a, these hinges (1 being joined to the sections a and 1) directly, as contradistinguished from indirectly,through the medium of cleats, such as the cleats 0, before described. Fastened to the outer edge of the section a is a cleat d, this cleat having its side portion projected into engagement with the section b and said section b having a tongue (1 fastened thereto,which engages the cleat d when the table is extended and tends to brace the parts at these points.

From Figs. 4 and 6 it will be seen that the cleats d and e are recessed on their under sides at the points where they are engaged by the tongues d and 6 respectively, and that the bottoms of said recesses present inclined surfaces to the projecting ends of said tongues, said projecting ends being also cut away on their top sides to form inclined faces to cooperate with the inclined faces of the cleats. By this arrangement each tongue is disposed in the same plane with its cooperating cleat. Fig. 6 illustrates the coactive relation of the parts a, b, d, d, and d The section b is connected by hinges e to the section a in the same manner that the section b is connected to the section a. 6 indicates a cleat, which is fastened to thesection b and underlies the adjacent edge of the section a, and (2 indicates a tongue arranged to engage with the section 6 the same as the tongue (1 before described. Five legs f, g, h, i, and 7c are provided. These logs are all hingedly mounted-the leg f to a cleat f on the outer edge of the section b, the leg g to the cleat d, the leg h to one of the cleats o, the leg 2' to the cleat e, and the leg is directly to the outer portion of the section b. The legs f, g, and

h are adapted to fold, respectively, against the sections b, a, and a, and the legs 71 and 7c are adapted to fold against the section b.

f indicates a brace for holding the leg f in extended position, this brace coacting with a thumb-screw or like device f fastened to the section b. 9 indicates a brace for the leg g, and g the thumb-screw or like means which holds said brace. h indicates a brace for the leg h and 77. the thumb-screw. v1 and k indicate braces for the legs 2' and k, and v? and k the thumb-screws therefor. When the table is thrown into extended position, the legs are thrown downward and their various braces adjusted. This makes an absolutely rigid and secure arrangement, serving all the purposes of an ordinary non-foldable table. To fold the table, the button 0 should be moved into parallelism with the cleats c and the sections a a thrown together on their hinges 0'. Then the sections 2) and b should be moved upward on the hinges d and 6, so that their upper faces will lie opposite the upper faces of the sections a and a. Previously to this operation the various legs should be thrown into inactive position. It will therefore be observed that by this construction a table is provided which may be folded into most compact form, but which, nevertheless, when extended provides a relatively large area.

Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention. may be resorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the intent of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A folding table, comprising top sections, hinges connecting them, a cleat provided with a recess having an inclined bottom, rigidly fastened to one section, and a tongue rigidly fastened to the other section and having a projecting portion arranged to engage the cleat when the sections are extended, said projecting portion being provided with an inclined face to cooperate with the inclined bottom of the recess in the cleat.

2. A folding table, comprising four top sections hinged together, the adjacent ends of the two middle sections being hinged from beneathto adapt'them to fold downwardly bringing their under faces inwardly toward each other,the end sections beinghinged on the top side of the table to their respective middle sections to adapt said end sections to fold upwardly bringing their top faces into engagement with the top faces of said central sections, a transverse cleat at the inner end of one of the outer sections and at the outer end of the other outer section, transverse cleats at the inner ends of the middle sections, the hinges uniting the two inner ends of the said central sections of the table being secured tothe meeting edges of said cleats at their under sides, one of the middle sections of the table also having a cleat at its outer end, a leg hinged to a cleat at one end of each section of the table, said legs being adapted to be folded all in the same direction against the under sides at their respective sections of the table, a leg hinged to the outer end of the end section of the table having its transverse cleat at its inner end, said leg be-' 3 ing secured to the under side of said section and adapted to fold inwardly thereagainst between the pair of legs secured to the cleat at the other end of said section, as set forth.

3. A folding table, comprising four top sections hinged together, the adjacent ends of the two middle sections being hinged from beneath to adapt them to fold downwardly bringing their under faces inwardly toward each other, the end sections being hinged on the top side of the table to their respective middle sections to adapt said end sections to fold upwardly bringing their top faces into engagement with the top faces of said central sections, a transverse cleat at the inner end of one of the outer sections and at the. outer end of the other outer section, transverse cleats at the inner ends of the middle sections, a leg hinged to a cleat at one end of each section of the table, said legs being adapted to fold all in the same direction against the under sides of their respective sections of the table, the cleats at the unions of the central sections with the end sections being provided with recesses having inclined bottoms, tongues carried by the sections of the table adjacent said recesses, said tongues being provided with projecting portions having inclined faces to engage the inclined bottoms of said recesses, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM NOBLE. 

